Milwaukee Bucks Top Five Stories of the Week: City and state debate arena financing, Jabari Parker returns, Giannis the power forward

1. With State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald proposing a $150 million bonding plan to support a new Bucks arena, Mayor Tom Barrett says the city and county will also contribute $50 million. [Don Walker/Journal-Sentinel]

"The city and county together will reach that $50 million mark," Barrett said.

County Executive Chris Abele said he is working on an alternative plan for the city-county contribution that can bring more value to the project. He did not provide details and did not indicate when he would.

Barrett spoke just hours after Fitzgerald said he was confident his $150 million bonding plan through the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands had the support of his fellow GOP senators and the commissioners of that board. And Fitzgerald added, "The ball's in their court," referring to the city.

2. How did the Bucks' trade of Brandon Knight for Michael Carter-Williams go down? This is how. [Jim Owczarski/OnMilwaukee.com]

[Suns GM Ryan] McDonough knew the Bucks had interest in Carter-Williams.

So, he went to work.

Hinkie agreed to his end of the deal first - he'd move Carter-Williams for the pick. Then McDonough reached back out to the Bucks armed with that information.

In the final moments of the deadline, the deal was struck.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo's latest blog entry suggests he sees himself as a power forward...eventually. [EuroHoops]

I feel the need to help in defense and rebounding and also I like to create. To make things happen for my teammates, by attacking the rim, or starting from the low post with my back to the basket in order to take advantage of my size. For the moment, I realize that I can do bigger damage as a "3" or a "4". I don't think that there's a faster power forward than me in the NBA, who can defend me when I put the ball on the floor. That's the position that I believe I will settle in the future, but I don't want any position to hold me from improving all parts of my game.

4. Jared Dudley didn't expect to make Milwaukee his long-term home. But the Bucks' vocal leader has come around on the idea. [Lori Nickel/Journal-Sentinel]

The talking didn't stop off the court, either. Guys were too detached on bus rides and road trips. So Dudley got them to start hanging out together. He wanted some chemistry and camaraderie.

And who doesn't need a little encouragement now and then? When Dudley was briefly starting in place of Antetokounmpo, Dudley was in his ear: "Hey, it's going to be your time to take over. This is just for you to learn. This is just short term."

"I believe that the better you like someone, the more you'll be unselfish, the more you'll sacrifice for each other," said Dudley.

5. Wednesday night saw Jabari Parker back on the BMO Harris Bradley Center court for the first time since tearing his ACL. [Brew Hoop]

"It's good to see him back on the floor and he's going in the right direction step-by-step," Kidd said, "and he's done a great job being patient and doing everything he's been asked of through the rehab.

"I thought it was good that we kept him around the team. Being able to be around at the shootarounds and meetings, and supporting his teammates, he's done a great job with that."